Page 60 of Pain
"Thanks, but I'm only worried about Faith right now." Matt started writing down a list of things Faith might want. There were so many, but he tried to limit it since she would be in the hospital, and he didn't want Xander having to pack up her whole room. Hopefully soon, she would be back in her own bed at home.
He wondered if she would be able to sleep alone. He had no problem with her sleeping in his bed for a while if she was scared. It would probably comfort him almost more than it would her, but it had him thinking about how different things might be once she was home. Would she be the same kid that she had been?
He pulled the completed list off the pad of paper, holding it tightly in his hands as he watched the hospital come into view. Faith was inside, and in just minutes, he would get to see her again. His heart raced as he tried to fight back tears of relief. There had been so many times he thought this moment would never come.
"I'll walk you in, then leave you to reunite with Faith. I'll bring the stuff as soon as I can gather it. Call me if she asks for something more or if you think of anything you forgot." Xander found a parking spot.
"I don't know if I can do this," Matt whispered.
"Of course, you can."
"What if she blames me? What if she hates me for not protecting her?"
Xander reached over and gripped his thigh. "She isn't going to hate you. You are the one secure and safe thing in her life. My guess is she is going to grab on and never let you go."
Matt nodded, but he didn't feel the confidence Xander seemed to. He handed the list to Xander. "Thank you for everything. You've been the one to help me through this. I couldn't have done it without you."
"You would have found a way." Xander smiled. "Now let's get you inside. I am sure Faith is going nuts looking for you."
Matt slowly got out of the car, gripping the door for a moment to stop his knees from shaking. He was so scared about what he was going to walk in and see. Even with Beau saying she had no visible injuries, in his mind, he saw her beaten and bruised. The vision was almost more than he could handle.
Xander was at his side, wrapping an arm around his waist. "I got you." He pushed the door shut, locking it. "Where do we go?"
"Emergency." Matt let Xander lead him to the entryway.
Once inside, he struggled not to have a panic attack. Every breath he took didn't seem enough, and he fought off a tightness in his chest. He had to hold it together. The last thing he needed was to break down just as he was finally getting Faith back.
"Mr. Springton." The detective walked over to them as they came in the door.
"Thanks for calling." Matt didn't know what else to say.
"Let me get her doctor, then he'll walk you back. You'll need to sign in and show ID to get back. The hospital is secure," Detective Michaels told them before walking off.
"Secure?" Matt looked over at Xander.
"It's policy. No one can enter without showing ID and being on an approved visitor list. It's a way to protect the children. You probably remember doing the same thing when Faith was born." Xander led them to the front desk.
Matt nodded, remembering the wristbands that they had to wear and match with the tiny one around Faith's ankle. He looked at the woman behind the desk. "My daughter was brought in. They said I needed to sign in to see her."
The woman nodded, asking for their ID's and information.
"Just him." Xander went to step back.
"No, I want you to get one too. I might need you with me."
Xander nodded and pulled out his driver's license.
"Mr. Springton?" Beau walked over to them, his face showing no sign of recognizing them. "I'm Dr. Maddington. I'll be your daughter's doctor while she is here or until you have her primary doctor come in." Beau offered his hand.
"Call me Matt, please." He shook Beau's hand. "How is she?"
"She's upset and will be happy to see you. It's best if we wait until we get in back before I talk about her injuries." Beau looked around the busy waiting room.
"Right." Matt nodded.
"And you are?" Beau looked at Xander.
"Xander, I'm a friend."
